Using ash and manure when growing carrots

Vegetable growing » Carrots

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Kira Stoletova

Obtaining a rich harvest of vegetables depends on many factors, some of which gardeners can influence before planting crops. Having determined what qualities of a plant a person wants to obtain, it is important to make every effort to prepare the necessary conditions. The basis for productivity is the carrot’s favorite soil.


Using ash and manure when growing carrots

Tips for planting carrots

To mark planting rows, place a board, pressing its edge to the ground, to obtain smooth, beautiful grooves of sufficient depth.
Before sowing the seeds, the rows are well sown, the seeds are scattered and sprinkled, old newspapers are spread on the surface of the ridge in one layer, and lutrasil is placed as the last layer. The ridge will remain in this state for two weeks, then you need to check the shoots. Bright green panicles have appeared - it’s time to open the ridge:

  • Saves water, no need for watering;
  • The weeds grew and died;
  • The soil has warmed up.

In fact, there are more benefits, it must be said about earthworms, they intensively feed on weeds, loosen and fertilize the soil, what other means benefit carrots:

  • Coating with lutrasil reduces the number of pests;
  • Mulching between rows saves water;
  • Sprinkling with ash nourishes the viburnum and protects it from flies.

After the carrots sprout, they begin to water. It is best to do it in the morning. It is better to use warm water for watering 20-25 ° C. Always check after watering to what depth the soil is wet. The soil should be moist to the tips of the carrots.

We use organics

If you replant a plant with organic matter (humus, compost), you will have rotten roots in the basement. Excess nitrogen clearly reduces the shelf life of root crops.

Organic fertilizer for carrots in spring is made in 2 ways:

  1. Take 1 part of chicken manure, fill it with 10 parts of water and insist again. The result is a ready-made solution, which is diluted with water 1:10 before use.
  2. You use manure, add 10 parts of water to it and apply according to the instructions.

Please note that it is absolutely wrong to use fresh cow dung for crops. It affects the growth points, so the shape of the root crops is distorted and the appearance is not conveyed.

How to land

Typically, the width of the bed is made from 90 to 100 cm, and the height is from 15 to 20 cm

Anyone who has grown onions at least once will also cope with planting carrots without any problems. In addition, making a bed for carrots is not particularly difficult. The most important thing that needs to be done is to calculate the correct size and prepare the ground for carrots in advance.

Preparing soil for potatoes in spring

Typically, the width of the bed is made from 90 to 100 cm, and the height - from 15 to 20 cm. If groundwater is located close to the planting site, it is strongly recommended to increase the height of the bed to 35 centimeters (to its lower border). The length can be completely arbitrary, it all depends on the wishes and needs of the gardener, as well as the size of the plot. You will definitely need to make a wooden side that will prevent water from draining and washing out the bed during watering.

To place the seeds, it is necessary to form special grooves, the depth of which will not exceed three centimeters. It is imperative to maintain a gap of 20 centimeters between them. As for the distance between root crops, it can vary from two to four centimeters.

Important! The seed groove should never be too shallow or too deep. In the first case, there is a high probability that the seeds will be carried away by a gust of wind, and in the second, that they simply will not be able to break through to the surface through the thickness of the earth.

Ideally, seeds should be sown in such a way that there is no need for thinning later. Achieving this is quite difficult, but you should still try. Otherwise, the smell of tops when pulling a root crop out of the ground will inevitably attract the attention of such a harmful insect as a carrot fly.

Immediately before sowing carrot seeds, each furrow should be thoroughly moistened. Since carrot planting material is very light, it is often mixed with sand for convenience. In those places where the seeds lie too thickly, experts recommend spreading out the contents of the groove with a brush.

After planting the seeds is completed, the furrow is sprinkled with mulch:

  • humus;
  • vermicompost;
  • compost;
  • coconut substrate.

After the sprouts emerge through the mulch, it must be removed and the seedlings must be watered.

Important! Until the seedlings appear, it is not recommended to water the sowing site to avoid washing away the seeds.

Carrots grow quite slowly; in addition, as already mentioned, they do not like excess moisture. If you organize ridge beds by raising the planting area by 30-35 centimeters, the problem can be solved. If the soil dries well, simple furrows are sufficient.

Before planting, the seeds should be soaked, and after planting and abundant watering, cover with plastic wrap. This step is necessary in order to preserve the heat and moisture necessary for seed germination in the soil. If all manipulations are performed correctly, the first shoots will appear in less than a week. It is very important not to forget to remove the film after the very first shoots appear.

Planting in narrow beds


Planting in narrow beds

In recent years, the method of planting carrots in narrow beds, also known as the Jacob Mittlider method, has been in great demand among gardeners. Such beds have a significant difference from standard options. They are distinguished by raised side edges and relatively wide aisles. The task of narrow and high beds is to protect the sown carrots from weeds and winds as reliably as possible. In addition, purely visually, such a bed looks just perfect.

To arrange a narrow bed you will need:

  • two containers that will be used for mixing fertilizers;
  • narrow rake (no more than 30 centimeters wide in the area of ​​the working part);
  • wooden pegs;
  • hoe;
  • shovel;
  • wooden boards for making sides.

The algorithm of actions will be approximately as follows:

  1. Mark the beds and use pegs to mark their boundaries. The optimal width of the bed will be no more than 45-50 centimeters, the length can be any (usually gardeners choose in the range from 3 to 9 meters);
  2. Make fairly wide (about 1 meter) passages between the beds;
  3. Nail wooden boards around the perimeter. The height of the resulting sides should be 10 centimeters and the width – 5 centimeters;
  4. Cover the paths between the beds with gravel or carefully compact them in such a way as to reduce the likelihood of weed growth and the appearance of moles to zero.

Important! It is best to place a narrow bed in the direction from the east to the west. This will allow the carrots to constantly receive the required amount of sunlight.

Proper use of narrow beds allows you to get a much larger harvest (about double) than using standard planting methods.

Peculiarities

Timely application of fertilizers has a positive effect on the amount of harvest, richness of taste and sweetness of carrots. Root crops grow evenly and brightly; in addition, they are not afraid of temperature changes, attacks of small pests and almost do not get sick.

If you don't feed your carrots on time, they won't be as large or tasty. You can determine that plants are lacking a nutrient by the following signs:

  • Carrots grow poorly;
  • The leaves are small and yellow;
  • The fruits acquire a reddish color;
  • The ligament twists;
  • The root does not form when the stem is actively growing.

If you notice any of these symptoms of nutrient deficiency, you should immediately begin fertilizing the area.

How to determine what fertilizers are needed? Determining your needs

Carrots are negatively affected by both a lack and an excess of nutrients in the soil. Therefore, it is important to learn to understand what exactly the plant lacks in the garden and plan the amount of fertilizer. The condition of the leaves and roots will help determine this.

  1. Nitrogen
      With a deficiency, the growth of root crops slows down, the tops become pale, gradually turn yellow and fall off.
  2. If there is an excess, there will be very strong growth of root crops, carrot root crops will not develop normally, nitrates will accumulate, carrots are susceptible to diseases and are poorly stored.
  3. Phosphorus
      If there is a deficiency, the leaves turn purple, if the plants are not fed in time, the tops curl, the roots do not develop, and the root crops become lignified.
  4. Excess prevents the plant from absorbing minerals from the soil.
  5. Potassium
      Deficiency manifests itself as a brown color, spots dry out, root plants become woody and do not develop, and have uneven coloring.
  6. Excess slows growth, the plant does not absorb microelements from the soil, and the tops will be dark green.
  7. Magnesium
      Deficiency manifests itself in yellowing of leaves and drooping.
  8. Excess is very rare.
  9. Bor
      The leaves remain small and the roots do not develop.
  10. Excess boron is rare.

Note: often it is dry weather that prevents plants from absorbing boron from the soil, where there can be a lot of it.

Consequences of improper feeding

Consider the total amount of nutrients in the soil before fertilizing to avoid over-fertilizing. In most cases, this is difficult to do, so gardeners focus on the appearance of carrots, and when applying fertilizers they use average or minimum dosages.

Signs of nutrient deficiency in the soil:

  • Nitrogen deficiency manifests itself in the withering of the above-ground parts of carrots, the foliage becomes smaller and turns yellow, and the root crop does not develop.
  • Potassium deficiency causes leaves to curl. Their edges turn brown, the color of the inside becomes gray, later acquiring a bronze tint.
  • If carrot foliage has yellow or red stripes, this indicates a deficiency of phosphorus in the soil. In this case, the underground part is stretched out, and its taste characteristics are significantly lost.
  • Lack of calcium causes yellowing and deformation of the upper leaves of carrots.

If there are errors in fertilizing, carrots grow small, dry and tasteless. From an overabundance of fertilizers, the crop may die completely. Therefore, if violations are detected, it is important to stop fertilizing and monitor the condition of the carrots.

To avoid negative consequences, apply fertilizers according to the schedule, observing the dosage of nutrients. Carry out the work itself in the morning or evening hours after moderate watering of the beds.

Treat fertilizer application work responsibly. A deficiency of substances in the soil, as well as an excess, can destroy the crop. By following all the recommendations regarding the fertilization of carrots, it is possible to obtain sweet, large and shelf-stable root vegetables.

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Minerals or organics?

Some experts argue that carrots should grow only on mineral fertilizers. However, both types of fertilizers, when used correctly, bring the same benefits to the plant.

Organic fertilizers are usually added in late autumn - early winter; it is not recommended to apply them directly under carrots. If you use too much of this type of fertilizer, the carrots will be susceptible to rotting. If the previous time you grew crops with a lot of organic matter in a certain bed, then this time you can do without it. Crops grow well on organic matter in the soil.

Mineral fertilizers can be added at all stages of root crop development, the main thing is not to overdo it with their quantity.

What are the benefits of organic soil fertilizer?

The use of animal waste products is beneficial not only for plants.
Thanks to plant residues and other chemicals found in excrement, microflora actively multiplies in the soil. Soil microorganisms participate in the mineralization process, which begins in the second month after applying fertilizer. First, the number of ammonifying bacteria, actinomycetes, increases. Then their number decreases, but the population of phosphobacteria increases.

For example:

semi-decomposed manure contains more than 2 million ammonifying bacteria per gram, after 2–3 years their number decreases by a third;

phosphobacteria in the fresh substance are slightly more than 2 million, in the half-rotted substance 58 million, in the rotted substance - 157 million per gram.

When the fertilizer gets into the soil, the number of bacteria increases from 3 to 20 times, which prevents the loss of nutrients, as soil microorganisms begin to process them and convert them into a form that is more quickly and better absorbed by plants.

Video: When and what kind of manure can be brought to the garden

The process of activation of microflora occurs faster if nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are applied to the soil simultaneously with manure.

The presence of humus in the soil is the main condition for the harvest. Applying manure to the soil in the fall increases the amount of humus - organic matter, a product of decomposition of plant and animal residues and microorganisms. The composition of humus includes humic and humic acids, humin.

The substance is black in color, so it is believed that the blacker the soil, the higher the yield. The highest content of the substance is in chernozem soil. Microorganisms and fungi process organic matter into simpler compounds. For example, earthworm excrement is humus.

But in order for the soil to be loose, a large amount of organic substances must enter the soil - ash, green manure, cattle waste, so that microorganisms have a source of nutrition.

The number of soil bacteria can be maintained with special EO preparations, but when using mineral fertilizers alone, a constant amount of microflora cannot be achieved, since there is no plant nutrition for it.

Important! To maintain the activity of soil bacteria and earthworms, it is necessary to add plant or animal organic matter to the soil once every two years - mullein, plant remains, ash, bone waste

How to feed carrots in open ground

Despite the apparent ease of growing this root vegetable, carrots are very demanding on the composition of the soil and its fertility. A lack of fertilizer is just as harmful to the proper development of carrots as an excess.

What fertilizers are needed for this vegetable plant will be discussed below. In turn, vegetable growers will be able to choose the best ways to fertilize carrots growing on their plots.

Organic fertilizers for carrots are extremely necessary, because they saturate this plant with nitrogen and improve the structure and composition of the soil.

Therefore, you can use fertilizers:

  • A solution of cow or chicken manure;
  • Manure;
  • Well decomposed compost;
  • Ash wood.

Each of these organic fertilizers contains a large amount of nutrients necessary for growing vegetables, but the amount and composition of nutrients may differ in each type of organic fertilizer.

Important!

Fresh or poorly decomposed manure should not be applied under carrots, as such fertilizer leads to deformation and curvature of carrots, and its taste becomes bitter.

Therefore, it is better to plant carrots the next year after vegetable crops for which intensive organic fertilizers are used, but in the previous season.

For proper growth and development of carrots, the following macro- and microelements are necessary:

  • Nitrogen;
  • Potassium;
  • Phosphorus.

You can use these minerals individually or use complex mineral supplements.

The following simple mineral fertilizers are used to feed this plant:

  • Ammonium nitrate and urea - contain enough nitrogen for the growth of the vegetative part of this vegetable crop;
  • Direct or double superphosphate, which will provide a sufficient amount of phosphorus in the soil;
  • Potassium nitrate, other potassium salts, these preparations will enrich the soil with potassium.

Complex mineral fertilizers for use with carrots:

  • Nitrophos;
  • Ammofoska;
  • Azofoska;
  • Nitroamphoska;
  • Nitrophoska.

All of these complex fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium - sometimes together, sometimes only two of the listed elements.

Carrots and their healing properties


Of course, we have known about the healing properties of carrots since childhood. This is what we are strongly recommended to improve vision, improve lung function and many other preventive measures. Carrots contain a set of vitamins and substances necessary for a person - carotene, iron, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, iodine, chromium, as well as vitamins B, C, E, PP and K. Truly, the owner of such incredible beneficial properties can rightly be called queen of the garden beds. This is the most accessible source of beta-carotene, which is necessary for the retina of the eye, which is converted into vitamin A in the human body. It would take a long time to list the magical properties of carrots, but in this article I would like to introduce the reader to the basics of proper cultivation of this invaluable crop.

In addition to healing properties, carrots have another excellent property - they are stored for a long time, providing a person with the necessary vitamins and minerals during the cold period of the year, when there are no fresh fruits. If stored properly, carrots remain fresh for many months. This is a valuable quality that is possible not only due to the natural qualities of this root vegetable, but also thanks to proper cultivation.

Fertilize the soil for carrots

  1. Basic Rules
      Do not use fresh manure or other undecomposed organic matter under carrots. If this is neglected, then all the nutrient energy will go to the leaves, which thrive on nitrogen from the soil. But the root vegetables will not receive enough nutrients, the carrots will have ugly, very small, branched “horns” and will not be suitable for storage for the winter.

If you put fresh organic matter under your carrots, they will branch out and grow ugly.

  • A good place for carrot beds is where last year there were cabbage, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, and potatoes. Especially if the beds were fertilized organically - manure, litter, compost - the acidity of the soil will be suitable. But celery as a predecessor will not work with carrots.
  • When planting carrots, do not use areas where chlorine-based pesticides have been used. It will strongly absorb toxic compounds remaining in the soil and accumulate them.
  • Potassium fertilizers should not be applied with salts containing chlorine.
  • Superphosphate should always be crushed before applying under the mound to ensure better absorption.
  • Phosphorus fertilizers on acidic soils turn into non-absorbable compounds; excessive soil acidity should be eliminated by liming.
  • Do not create excess nutrients in the soil, as this can harm the plants. Carefully measure the weight of the fertilizer; for this you can use a regular matchbox. See Table 1 for the volume it can hold when poured without rising.

Amount of fertilizer in g in a matchbox, see table 1.

Fertilizer nameMatchbox
Ammonium nitrate17
Potassium salt20
Ammonium sulfate17
Superphosphate granulate/powder22/24
Nitrophoska20
Ash wood10
  1. Autumn soil preparation
  • Lime

In highly acidic soils, carrots grow poorly and may be unsweetened and lose their taste. In such cases, lime is used in the fall, scattering evenly finely ground chalk, lime or dolomite flour over the area, and then digging it up. Data on the use of lime are given in Table 2.

How much lime needs to be added to the soil (in kg per plot of land) see Table 2.

Soil typeAcidity level, pH
4,54,64,85,0
Glue69645855
Loamy54514641
Loamy sand36312421
Sandy29242116

When liming, cover the soil thoroughly and evenly with chalk or lime.

Tip: Do not lime the soil and add fertilizer or organic materials at the same time! In this case, fertilize the soil before liming or in the spring.

  • Fertilization

Growing vegetables depletes the soil and therefore requires annual fertilization. In autumn, it can be added to the soil when digging, taking into account the composition and fertility of the soil:

— The substrate for transplantation is (per 5 m2): 6-8 kg of humus, 5 tablespoons of urea, 5 tablespoons of superphosphate (crushed) and potassium chloride;

— Clayey, loamy, sandy soil (per 5 sq. m) needs 5 tablespoons of superphosphate and 10 tablespoons of nitrophoska, 5 buckets of humus.

- Add 10 tablespoons of superphosphate powder to expanded clay (per 5 sq. m).

How to apply and use fertilizers?

You can feed plants throughout the entire growing season.

Into the soil before planting

To help plants take root better, the soil can be fertilized with organic fertilizers before planting. The main thing is to use a well-rotted product. Organic matter for feeding plants must mature for at least a year. It is best to start pre-sowing soil fertilization in the fall. At this time, humus or compost is added to the soil.

During sowing

Plants planted in open ground are also fed with mineral fertilizers. Urea is most often used for this purpose. If fertilizers are applied to the soil in dry form, they must first be mixed with the soil. Plant seeds should not come into contact with the granules. This will lead to burns and slow development of the carrots.

Seed material can also be processed before planting. For this purpose, you need to prepare a simple solution consisting of a tablespoon of wood ash and a liter of water. All this is thoroughly mixed in a deep container. Seeds are placed there for a day. To achieve the desired result, every few hours they must be taken out of the container, washed under warm water and soaked in a new portion of the ash solution. In this way, the seeds are usually prepared for planting in soil that has not been fertilized since the fall. The procedure shows high efficiency.

To disinfect the seeds, they can be immersed for half an hour in a solution consisting of a third of a teaspoon of boric acid, a liter of warm water and a teaspoon of nitrogen fertilizer. Some gardeners add a little honey to this solution. This allows you to stimulate the process of seed germination.

In spring and summer

The first feeding of seedlings in open ground is carried out after the first shoots appear on the site. Experienced gardeners recommend thinning the rows before fertilizing. In this case, nutrients will not feed the sprouts, which over time will not produce a harvest. Primary feeding must be chosen correctly. After all, how quickly young plants will develop depends on this. As a rule, potassium salt or ammonium nitrate is used at this stage. Even if the seedlings have not germinated well, after such feeding they will grow.

If the carrots develop well, you can do without additional fertilizing in July.

At this stage, it is important to regularly loosen the beds and water them as necessary. But if plants need a portion of additional substances, they can be fed with boron or potassium

Such fertilizers will strengthen the root system and make carrots sweeter and juicier. After fertilizing, the beds must be watered abundantly. To increase the sugar content of root vegetables, they can also be sprayed with a solution of succinic acid.

In August, gardeners usually use folk remedies. Ash, yeast solution or a mixture with boric acid are used. Before harvesting, when the carrots gain juice and sweetness, they can be watered with an ash solution, nettle infusion or water with iodine.

Processing carrot seeds

If the soil was not fertilized in the fall, mineral fertilizers can be applied in the spring.

Carrot seeds are very refractory, since the essential oils they contain prevent normal germination, so they necessarily require pre-sowing treatment. Typically, seeds purchased from large growers are already pre-treated and nothing else needs to be done to them. But in other cases it is better to pre-treat the seeds.

  • Hilling up with microelements increases germination, gives strength to germinating seeds, and increases their resistance to diseases and adverse conditions. A few days before sowing, dissolve microfertilizers in warm water, immerse the seeds in the solution and soak for a while. Then dry until flowable; there is no need to wash them anymore, since microfertilizers come from different manufacturers; when preparing the solution, follow the instructions.
  • Carrot seeds can also be soaked in wood ash, make a solution of 1 liter of warm water and a few tablespoons of ash, leave for 2 days, stirring occasionally. The seeds are immersed in a solution in a gauze bag for 8-10 hours, and then dried until free-flowing.
  • Growth stimulants can be added to the nutrient solution.
  • If there is no time for processing, add microelements to the water for pre-sowing irrigation or to the glue if it is used when planting seeds.

Causes of poor root growth

It's not always a matter of feeding. Perhaps the seeds were mixed up and instead of an early or mid-season variety, a late one was found, which grows more slowly. Root crops may lag behind in development due to dense crops, so they are thinned out.

If you follow the principles of crop rotation, carrots grow well, even if the soil is not fertilized. But after planting carrots a second time in the same place, the yield decreases.

Root crops may grow poorly due to high nitrogen content. The root splits into three or more parts, resulting in ugly forms that are unsuitable for storage.

With insufficient watering, the root crop develops additional roots to receive more water. As a result, the main root will be weak and underdeveloped, but with a large number of shoots. The same thing will happen if you lime the soil before planting root crops.

During the growth period, carrots are fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers so that they grow large. It is better to use mineral monofertilizers and add organic matter after harvesting in the fall.

Root crops develop poorly on heavy clay soils, especially with insufficient watering and without loosening. You need to add sand to improve drainage.

When the temperature rises above 30 degrees, the development of root crops stops, they stretch, while the core increases in size. With a lack of sun, carrots lag behind in development - the beds need to be located in open space.

The taste is affected by the lack of hilling. Part of the fruit stretches out and is above the surface of the ground, which gives a bitter taste.

Periodically add soil to cover the neck of the carrot.

Seasonal feeding of carrots

Liquid fertilizer is carried out 2-3 times a season.

  1. When a few true leaves appear, 0.5 tsp. nitrophosphates are diluted in 5 liters of water per 1 sq. m. Another scheme: 0.5 tsp. potassium nitrate, 1 tsp. superphosphate and 0.5 tsp. urea per 5 liters of water.
  2. The second fertilizing should be done after a few weeks; the complex fertilizer is diluted in a proportion of 0.5 tsp. for 5 liters of water.
  • Note: before fertilizing the plants must be watered or done after rain.
  • Fertilizing should be stopped 3-4 weeks before harvest.
  • Sandy soils require more frequent applications of liquids (5-6 in spring and summer), but they should be less concentrated than doses for ordinary soil (about 3 times).

About the importance of feeding

The composition of the soil and the presence in it of a sufficient amount of nutrients and microelements are of great importance for the growing season of carrots. The quality and taste of the root crop directly depend on this. With a nutritional deficiency, carrots lag behind in development, become deformed, and yield is significantly reduced.

Therefore, when sowing crop seeds, it is important to prepare the soil and fill it with the necessary elements. In the period from sowing seeds to harvesting, at least 2-3 feedings are expected - based on mineral or organic fertilizers and folk remedies. Their application must be correct and timely: during sowing and in certain vegetative phases of carrot growth.

Using ash and manure when growing carrots

A bountiful vegetable harvest depends on many factors, some of which gardeners can influence before planting. Once you have determined what plant characteristics you want, it is important to make every effort to prepare the right conditions. The basis of the harvest is carrots’ favorite soil.

Using ash and manure when growing carrots

Watering regime after planting

Carrots are sown in pre-moistened soil or watered after finishing work. Watering is especially important in the first stages of crop development.

As the child grows, the frequency of this procedure is reduced to once every 2 weeks . After each moistening, the soil is loosened between the rows, simultaneously removing weeds.

The carrot watering regime is characterized by several features:

  • frequency – once every 3-4 days ;
  • the rate of water used is 40 l/m2 , at the end of the growing season – 10 l/m2 .

14 days before harvesting, soil moisture is stopped.

Signs of nutritional deficiencies

Before feeding carrots, it is necessary to determine exactly what components the crop of this vegetable needs. The following phenomena indicate nutritional deficiency:

  1. The leaves become smaller, change color (turn yellow), the root system becomes weak - signs associated with a lack of nitrogen.
  2. The fruits are small, the earthy part of the vegetable takes on a reddish tint - such symptoms indicate a lack of phosphorus.
  3. The stem is actively growing, but the root is poorly formed - a sign of the plant’s need for potassium.

If the affected seedling does not receive the required amount of macro- and microelements in time, it will die without producing a harvest.

Advantages and disadvantages of rabbit droppings as fertilizer

In addition to the high concentration of nutrients, “rabbit gold” has other important advantages:

  • Free from contamination with grass seeds. This is due to the characteristics of the rabbit diet. Sometimes the droppings contain undigested grain, which is used to feed the animals, but even if it sprouts in the beds, the seedlings work like green manure.
  • Low humidity. This quality contributes to faster preparation of manure for use in the garden.
  • Ideal carbon to nitrogen ratio. This property gives rabbit droppings a great advantage when preparing compost and vermicompost, which will be discussed below.

The best fertilizer for carrots when planting

Throughout the entire path from germination to harvesting the first root crop, fertilizer for carrots during planting remains relevant. The quality of root crops is affected by the structure of the soil, its acidity and fertility.

For some reason, many people believe that carrots are a simple vegetable that practically grows on its own and does not require any care. In fact, to grow even sweet root vegetables, you need to know many subtleties.

To make carrots sweet

You need to know which fertilizer for carrots will add sweetness when planting. According to many gardeners, this is ash. It contains potassium, and it affects the taste. Ash can be added for digging, or you can dust the plantings with it after each watering. In this case, two birds are killed.

The first is to supply the plant with potassium, the second is to protect it from carrot flies. The benefits of ash don't end there. Practice shows that adding this fertilizer to carrots when planting in a hole improves the keeping quality of root crops.

It's not just fertilizers that make vegetables sweet. It turns out that proper watering can add sweetness to it. The frequency of watering is individual and depends on the structure of the soil. For example, if the soil in your garden is light (loamy loam), then you water it every week and very generously. Another option: the soil is fertile and oily. In this case, water every week, but little by little.

Important! After the first thinning, do not water the ridge for 3 weeks; it will grow downward in search of moisture.

After the second thinning, watering is resumed. A break in watering makes the root crop drought-resistant and increases yield. In September, any watering is prohibited. Moisture at this time takes away the sweetness. If you have noticed, after the autumn rains the root vegetables are not sweet.

About soil preparation

The root crop reacts to the mechanical indicators of the soil; it thrives in loose soil that conducts water well. Bad types of soil for the crop: clay, loam, peat. The addition of raising agents is necessary on them:

On fairly fertile soil, you don't need to fertilize to plant carrots in the spring. In this case, there is no need to wait for a large harvest, rely on a large number of root crops, or use fertilizers.

What fertilizer to apply when planting carrots is up to everyone to decide for themselves, focusing on the structure and fertility of the soil. The gardener's choice of fertilizers has a wide range; he has the right to use only organic fertilizers, only mineral fertilizers, or a combination and alternation of both.

Remember that not all fertilizers can be used when planting carrots in the spring. For example, organic fertilizers should be applied in the fall, carrot roots as organic old, rotten ones, into the soil with peat manure, the approximate rate per square meter is from 6 to 8 kg, deoxidize the soil separately from applying fertilizers for carrots in the spring.

To reduce the acidity level add:

Of course, it would be good to apply mineral fertilizers in the fall, but usually the gardener does not have enough time at this time, and mineral fertilizers for carrots are applied not at planting, but two weeks before it. This is also the time to prepare the ridge.

When digging the soil to a depth of 30 cm, baking powder and fertilizers are added to compact soils, and only fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus to the rest. Potassium mixtures are prepared later, using liquid root feeding in the summer.

Sawdust, sand, humus

Urea 1 tablespoon, superphosphate 1 tablespoon, potassium chloride 1 tablespoon, values ​​are given for 1 m2.

Peat or sawdust, humus, sand

Nitrophoska 2 tbsp. l., superphosphate 1 tbsp. l.

Superphosphate 2 tbsp. l.

Another way to prepare the soil

Prepare the soil in different ways. Let's consider another option, the soil is prepared as follows: 2 weeks before planting, add vermicompost, 2 days before planting, add humate.

Also, for digging, 65-85 g of mineral fertilizers (mixture for vegetables) are added to each square meter. Instead of mineral fertilizers, you can add sifted ash: 2 handfuls per 1 m2.

Even sawdust needs to be able to be applied correctly; if it is fresh, then before planting it is watered with a liquid nitrogen preparation. Soak in the solution for at least 4 days, ammonium sulfate 5 tablespoons or urea goes into the solution.

What fertilizer should I apply and when?

Preparing the land for planting should begin in the fall.

Organic fertilizer is applied first. Since this type of fertilizer makes the soil acidic, it should be taken into account that at an acidity level of 5.5, it is necessary to add ash or other substances that reduce it to the soil. After this, you can start using minerals.

Spring

Mineral

Ingredients:

  • potassium chloride;
  • superphosphate;
  • urea.

Ratio: 1:1:0.5 per 1 sq.m. land. Fertilizer is used during soil preparation.

  1. First you need to dig up the beds at a level of approximately 35 cm in depth.
  2. Before feeding, superphosphate should be thoroughly crushed into powder.
  3. All ingredients must be mixed and fertilized along with raising agents, if necessary.

Ash

  • in autumn 200g of ash per 1 sq.m;
  • in June, during the growth of tops, 1 cup per square meter.

It is necessary to dig up the area for planting carrots, while flavoring the soil with dry ash.

This fertilizer alkalizes the soil and makes it more fertile. In summer, you need to fertilize the beds with ash every seven days before watering.

Manure

Ratio: 6-8 kg per 1 sq.m.

Before digging the soil in spring, well-rotted manure is applied. In this case, it is necessary to spread it in an even layer so that during digging the fertilizer is distributed evenly. Separately, if necessary, deoxidize the soil by adding chalk, dolomite flour or ash.

Saltpeter and superphosphate

Ingredients:

  • superphosphate (200g);
  • potash fertilizer (100g);
  • sodium nitrate (50g);
  • lime (100g).

Ratio: ingredients are added to each square meter in the quantities indicated above.

Fertilizer is also applied during soil preparation, all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and after fertilization the bed is dug up.

Autumn

Compost

Ratio: one bucket per sq.m. / 6-8 kg per sq.m.

It is advisable to use fresh manure. Fertilizer is used during soil preparation. After adding the component, the bed must be dug up.

Peat or sawdust

Ratio: 6-8 kg per sq.m. for peat.

Sawdust is used together with 2 tbsp. nitrophosphate and 1 tbsp. superphosphate. The beds are sprinkled on top when preparing the soil, especially for clay and podzolic soils.

Sand and sawdust

Ingredients:

  • a mixture of sand and sawdust;
  • superphosphate (2 tbsp).

Before adding superphosphate, it should be crushed to a powder state. Used mainly on peat soils.

Phosphorus-potassium

Ratio: 10g of phosphorus-potassium fertilizer per 1 sq.m.

The soil under the fertilizer is carefully dug up, after which the fertilizer is applied. Recommended for chernozem soils and for beds where the soil has been used intensively for a long time.

Pre-winter sowing

Organics with potassium sulfate

Ingredients: potassium sulfate or potassium sulfate.

This fertilizer should never be mixed with urea, ammonium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, potassium carbonate, lime, chalk and dolomite.

To fertilize carrots with potassium sulfate, you need to scatter it around the area and dig it very well at the level of the spade bayonet

It is important to use it on neutral and alkaline areas. This is due to the acidity of the fertilizer

Ash

Ratio: 130-150g per 1 sq.m.

It is used when the soil is sufficiently fertile and does not require regular addition of mineral fertilizers. After adding wood ash, the beds are dug up.

What do carrots need to grow?

Several elements are needed to ensure active, healthy growth of carrots at each stage of development. At the first stage, when the root crop grows green mass, a significant amount of nitrogen is consumed, and phosphorus and potassium ensure the stability of young plants. This helps maintain disease resistance and resist pest attacks.

What element do carrots need:

  • Potassium, which carrots need throughout the growing season, ensures metabolic stability, optimizing photosynthesis, and promotes the formation of the underground part of the plant. Potassium gives root vegetables their sweetness and juiciness.
  • Phosphorus. The crop needs it in the middle of summer; the presence of this element in the soil has a beneficial effect on the formation of root crops: the carrots become dense, the tops are rounded, acquiring sweetness.
  • Boron and manganese, These elements are produced in July. These microelements are important for the filling of carrots, ensure the health and hardness of the core of the root crop, catalyze the accumulation of sweetness, and contribute to long-term storage of the crop.

What kind of soil does the orange vegetable like?

Chemical composition

Carrots love neutral and slightly acidic soils. The optimal pH level is from 5.6 to 7. The root crop develops favorably in soil containing at least 4% humus.

Mechanical composition

It is better to plant carrots in loose loamy and sandy loam soil. Light soil, including a sufficient proportion of sand, ensures the sweetness and juiciness of root crops. The soil should be free of large particles, stones and roots.

The ideal density of the soil layer for growing carrots is 0.65 g per 1 cm³. The use of too dense and insufficiently cultivated soil leads to low yields, as well as to the formation of branched root crops of non-standard shape with poor taste. Heavy loams are not suitable for sowing.

Stages of applying fertilizers for carrots

You should not randomly and indiscriminately apply nutrients to carrot beds, thinking that this will ensure active growth of root crops and abundant harvests in the future. At each stage of growth, the plant needs a certain set and quantity of elements. Therefore, depending on the growing season, different fertilizers are used.

Feeding carrots after emergence

After emergence of seedlings, thinning should be carried out. After the formation of the second true leaf, apply another feeding. To do this, add 10 liters of water:

  • Ammonium nitrate or urea - 1 tsp;
  • Direct superphosphate - 1.5 tbsp. spoons;
  • Potassium salt - 1.5 tbsp. l.

The consumption of mineral solution when applied should be 2 liters per 1 m2 of substrate.

Further feeding when growing carrots

The next feeding of carrots is carried out 18-21 days after the previous application of fertilizers. The composition of the mineral solution in this case is also similar; it is advisable to carry it out after the second thinning of the crop.

Late varieties require additional feeding, which is carried out 2-3 weeks before harvest. The main microelements in this case should be only phosphorus and potassium, nitrogen is excluded. Otherwise, the taste of root vegetables will quickly deteriorate, and the crop will lose its quality properties.

At this time, it is worth adding potassium and sodium humates to make the carrots sweet and juicy. A good remedy is “K-humate-na”.

Sowing time

It is recommended to plant carrots in open ground in the spring at a time when the ground still retains moisture from melted snow, but has already warmed up to +4... 6 ℃, and the air temperature reaches 10-12 degrees Celsius during the day and 2-5 at night.


Carrot plants are quite cold-resistant, but very demanding on lighting (with short daylight hours their development slows down) and temperature conditions

In addition, in order to correctly calculate the time for sowing, it is necessary to pay attention to the ripening time, that is, the number of days from the emergence of seedlings to the fruiting stage:

  • early ripening varieties - from 80 to 100 days;
  • average - about 110-120;
  • medium-late – after 120-140 days.

Taking into account climatic conditions and the length of the growing season of plants, for different regions the optimal dates for planting carrot seeds in open ground are:

RegionsDeadlines
South of Russia (Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, North Caucasus, Crimea)Early March – early April
Central Russia, including the Moscow regionMid-April – early May
St. Petersburg and Leningrad regionSecond ten days of May
Ural, Siberia and northern regionsEnd of May – beginning of June

Varieties with different ripening periods are usually planted in several stages. If necessary, early ripening plants are additionally reseeded at the beginning of summer in beds cleared of early greenery. Some gardeners in risky farming areas are trying to experiment by preparing carrot seedlings in advance in order to speed up the ripening of root crops by 2-3 weeks.

As practice shows, the optimal temperature for plant growth and development ranges from +16…20 ℃

Those who listen to astrological forecasts of sowing “lunar” calendars believe that it is correct to plant carrots on the waning Moon, since in this case there is good development of the root system of plants and you can get an excellent harvest of root crops.

According to the lunar calendar in 2022, favorable days for sowing root vegetables are: March 2, 3, 6, 7, 20, 21; April 6, 17, 24, 27, 29, 30; 1, 21-23, 27, 28, 31st May; June 17-20, 27-29.

Possible mistakes

  • Fertilized seeds purchased in large brand stores, ready-made seeds purchased in brand stores are already ready for sowing and do not require additional processing. They have already gone through the stage of getting rid of diseases and pests; they are preparing for use only those seeds that were bought secondhand in little-known places, as well as fertilizers from little-known companies.
  • When fertilizing dry soil, make sure the soil is moist before applying the fertilizer. The effect of the fertilizer and its effect on root crops depends on this; if the soil under the carrots remains dry, the plant may die or become depressed. This applies to all types of fertilizers, including liquid fertilizers.
  • Phosphorus and potassium fertilizers are applied to the soil surface; for phosphorus clay fertilizers to be effective, bury them in the ground or use a type of liquid fertilizer. If the fertilizer remains on the surface, it will lose its significance and will not be absorbed by the plants.

What to do if they were launched?

Monitor root crops and remove diseased plants at the first signs of disease development.

Growing your own carrots means providing your family with vitamins all year round. This is confidence in the absence of harmful substances, acids and other substances that destroy the vitamin base. This crop is unpretentious, but requires adherence to agricultural technologies to obtain the highest quality harvest.

When to plant carrots in the fall

So, one of the crops that can be successfully planted before winter is the juicy orange beauty - carrots. The plant is quite resistant to low temperatures, and if certain rules of agricultural technology are followed, it is quite possible to grow root crops by June-July. There is no need to be afraid of spring frosts - young carrot shoots appear when the soil warms up to +3°C - +4°C, and tolerate temperature drops to -4°C well. Most often this time occurs in the first two weeks of November.

Feeding carrots with folk remedies

If it is not possible to use mineral preparations, folk remedies are sufficient. They are no less effective, but they are more difficult to calculate the dose.

Boron is necessary for the complete metabolism of carbohydrates and proteins; carry out foliar feeding by dissolving a teaspoon of boric acid in a liter of warm water. Then dilute the solution in a liter of water.

Spray the plants in mid-July, when root crops are forming, and in early August, when carrots are finally ripe.

Stir the yeast powder from the bag into 2-3 liters of water, then add the ash and dilute everything in a bucket of water. On a dry and warm day, water the carrots with a nutrient solution to add nitrogen, phosphorus and solution to the soil and support the microflora.

The simplest and most effective way to fertilize, Fertilize in two ways:

  • Sow on the bed at the rate of 250 g per 1 m2;
  • Dissolve 100 g of ash in a bucket of water, leave for 12 hours and water the plants.

This fertilizer provides carrots with magnesium, potassium and sodium, and also prevents pests.

Salt can be used as a source of sodium and protection against pests, it is better to take sea salt, it helps against carrot flies and wireworms. Apply the treatment up to 3 times: immediately after germination, and then every 14 days. To do this, dissolve a tablespoon in a bucket of water.

Immediately after germination, feed the root crop with iodine solution: 15-20 drops per bucket of water. Water the beds in the morning or evening when there is no scorching sun.

Step-by-step instructions on how to fertilize

Paste


Paste is a very convenient and effective fertilizer for seeds, especially carrots. On average, one liter of paste is enough to sow 10 g.

There are the main stages of laying the paste:

  1. Before sowing, the furrows in the selected area must be well watered.
  2. The finished paste is packaged together with carrot seeds in a plastic bottle with a hole in the lid, a pastry syringe with a large nozzle, etc.
  3. Apply or pour (depending on the resulting composition) paste with seeds into these grooves.
  4. Immediately after sowing, the beds must be covered with a small layer of loose soil (no more than 2 cm in thickness).
  5. To further preserve moisture in the soil, the bed is covered with film or other non-woven material until carrot sprouts appear.

Bor

  1. When fertilizing carrot seeds with boric acid, you should use hot water heated to +45...+50 C.
  2. Completely dissolve 1 tsp. powder in 1 liter of warm liquid, and then bring the total volume with water at room temperature to 10 liters.
  3. The first feeding of the fruit should be done in mid-July, when the root part begins to form.
  4. The fruit should be fertilized a second time in the first half of August, when the root crops begin to ripen.

Eggshell

  1. Before fertilizing carrot seeds, the eggshells must be dried and walked over them with a rolling pin.
  2. It is necessary to make grooves for future root crops and water them in sufficient quantities.
  3. Pour the resulting egg powder into them, and sprinkle the seeds on top. Then sprinkle with earth and press down with a stick or hand.

Signs of nutritional deficiencies

To determine what fertilizer to use for carrots grown in the ground, you should pay closer attention to the condition of its leaves and roots. Based on them, it is easy to understand which microelement is missing and plan a schedule for its use.

A lack of potassium leads to brown discoloration of the spots, their drying out, and root crops become unevenly colored. With an excess of this microelement, plant growth slows down and their leaves darken.

With a lack of nitrogen, carrot leaves become pale yellow, its growth slows down, with an excess amount of nitrogen, strong leaf growth is observed, root crops do not develop, and nitrates accumulate.

With a lack of the microelement phosphorus, the leaves become purple, curl, root crops become lignified, and their root system does not develop. Excess phosphorus in open ground results in an inability to absorb minerals from the soil.

With a lack of magnesium, the leaves of agricultural crops turn yellow and fall off, while an excess of this substance is practically impossible.

A lack of boron leads to the fact that the leaves become small and the root system of the bush does not grow. Excess boron in open ground is rare.

Advice from experienced summer residents

Listen to the advice of more experienced gardeners:

  1. Do not use manure when planting crops, otherwise the root crops will become tasteless, rough and uneven in color.
  2. Carrots can be planted in the same place once every three years.
  3. Carrots are planted in soil with a neutral pH; if it is acidic, liming is necessary.
  4. When the sprouts reach a height of 5 cm, they are thinned out; the distance between plants should be at least 5 cm, then they will have enough light and nutrients.
  5. In mid-summer, dilute a second time, small carrots can be eaten, and other root vegetables are suitable for long-term storage.
  6. In dry weather, carrots are watered once every two days, in normal weather - 1-2 times a week.
  7. Root crops are harvested in dry weather, they are laid out on the garden bed, dried, and then sorted and stored.

Preparing a bed for carrots

For spring planting, the soil is prepared in advance, in the fall. First of all, “good” predecessors are selected.

Carrots produce rich harvests after crops such as:

  • tomatoes;
  • potato;
  • White cabbage;
  • legumes;
  • greenery.

You shouldn't plant carrots in the same place every year. In this case, even good feeding will not give positive results. The plant can be returned to its original site only after 4 years. Preparing a garden bed in the fall involves digging it up. The digging depth is at least 20-30 cm. The optimal width of the bed for growing carrots is no more than 90 cm. In this case, it will be convenient for you to weed and water the plant.

Useful tips

To ensure a good carrot harvest, you need to follow the advice of experienced gardeners.

  • Do not overfeed carrots; using too much fertilizer or its incorrect concentration leads to a deterioration in the taste of the root crop. In addition, such carrots cannot be stored for a long time. Also, you should not water the seed heads too often; this is usually done only when the summer is dry and the soil dries out very quickly. Watering too frequently can cause carrots to become “hairy” or begin to crack and rot.
  • Plants should always be fertilized in the evening or morning. If you feed carrots in hot weather, the leaves may get scorched. This will significantly weaken the plants.
  • Before applying fertilizers, the soil must be loosened and watered; after weeding, useful elements enter the roots of the plants; it is also necessary to get rid of all weeds growing near the carrots, as they take away some of the nutrients and do not allow them to develop normally.
  • It is not recommended to use fertilizers containing chlorine in the soil, as this causes gradual bending and branching of germinating root crops. For the same reason, it is not recommended to deoxidize the soil before planting carrots.
  • It is also recommended to spread high-quality mulch on carrot beds. For this, you can use sawdust or shavings. Spread them between the rows in a dense layer. High-quality mulch protects plants from weeds and pests, and it also retains moisture in the soil.
  • You can improve the performance of carrots by planting them in the right place; root vegetables love the sun, so you should not grow them in the shade; in addition, many gardeners recommend planting this vegetable where celery, dill or parsley used to grow.

Carrots are not particularly demanding of fertilizers, so they are usually fed only a few times per season; if everything is done correctly and high-quality fertilizers are used, you can count on a good harvest.

Folk recipes

How can you feed carrots without purchased solutions? Many gardeners prefer not to use mineral fertilizers for carrots, but to prepare the mixtures themselves. Folk remedies based on ash, herbs, yeast and other components are popular.

It is useful to feed carrots with nettle infusion. The grass contains many fertilizing microelements: potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium. Chopped nettle stems are placed in the prepared container and filled with water. Cover with a lid and leave to ferment for a couple of days.

To ensure that the infusion ferments well, you can add a pack of yeast and ash. Before feeding, 60 ml of solution is diluted with 10 liters of water.

If the tops look unwell, then foliar feeding can be applied. To do this, the fermented composition is filtered, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:20 and sprayed on the tops. She will not only receive useful substances, but will also be protected from pests.

She will not only receive useful substances, but will also be protected from pests.

Among the common ingredients for feeding carrots using folk remedies, wood ash is very popular.

Feeding carrots in open ground at any stage of vegetable development can be accompanied by ash. You can simply sprinkle it on the ground where carrots grow, or you can make an infusion. It is necessary to pour 60-70 g of ash into a liter of boiled water and leave for two days. The resulting solution is diluted in 10 liters of liquid before watering.

Ash not only has useful components, but also can repel many pests. To repel insects, it is useful to cultivate the soil between rows every 10 days.

Is it possible to feed a vegetable with yeast solutions? Yeast feeding will make up for the lack of phosphorus and nitrogen, and enrich the soil with vitamins and minerals. Thanks to the nutritional basis, the quality of the root crop improves and the activity of the beneficial microflora of the earth increases. You can use both fresh and dry yeast.

If you make a recipe from fresh yeast, then take 500 g of raw material and dissolve it in 2.5 liters of water. Before use, the solution is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. You will need 5 g of dry yeast. They are dissolved in 5 liters of water and 35 g of sugar are added. Then the mass should be left to infuse for two hours. Before watering, dilute in water in a ratio of 1:5.

It is recommended to feed carrots with yeast mixtures in warm weather. Their use occurs during the third feeding. It is best mixed with wood ash as the yeast absorbs the potassium.

At any stage of feeding, you can use chicken manure. Before watering the beds between the plants, chicken manure is poured with water, left for 5 days, and then diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. You cannot treat the soil with undiluted chicken manure - this will lead to the death of the vegetable.

After planting, it is recommended to treat carrots with compounds that contain iodine. It activates growth, the taste of root vegetables becomes juicy and enriched with vitamins. Once in the soil or on tops, it acts as an antiseptic. It is enough to dilute two drops of iodine in a liter of water.

Water, milk and iodine will help protect the plant from diseases and pests. Enveloping each leaf, the composition forms a white film that prevents the penetration of pathogens.

You can feed carrots with fresh mullein. But you should not overuse this fertilizer for carrots, as the level of nitrates in the vegetable increases. In addition, the greenery becomes lush, and the growth of root crops stops. You can sprinkle mullein on the ground in the spring while digging, or you can prepare an infusion and spray it on a green plant.

An infusion with mullein is easy to prepare. Manure is poured into the container and filled with water (1:5). It is recommended to additionally add wood ash. Leave to infuse for two weeks. Before watering the beds, the solution is diluted with water (1:10). A month before harvest, treatment with mullein is stopped.

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